Acting Principal's Report
A nation’s culture resides in the heart and soul of its people. Mahatma Gandhi
As it is for nations, so too is it for schools.
As the world emerged from COVID lockdown and restriction at the start of 2022, a key lesson we brought with us was the importance of strong, enduring and sustaining links to our community and culture. After long months of social distance and separation from the people in our community, we understood better how important it is to belong to a community with a meaningful, purposeful culture.
Throughout Semester One, reconnecting with our culture has been our goal.
Over the past three years our college has more than doubled in size. More than half of our students and teachers have not yet experienced a full year of the Beaumaris experience, without COVID interruptions and restrictions. Re-establishing and re-connecting with our culture has been important in clarifying our meaning and purpose. Our vision and values, our teaching and learning model, our sense of welcome and belonging to community have all been at the forefront of our efforts.
Belonging to a school community, and feeling welcome within that community, is a powerful predictor of flourishing wellbeing and learning for our young people.
This is central to the Beaumaris Secondary College culture, where we belong to a place that to learn is to grow, where we believe our values can change the world, and where our students will become their best selves on the journey.
The pace of this reconnection to culture accelerated though Term Two with events and activities such as camps, sport competitions, wellbeing days, the Year 9 Market Day, and Parents Association year level events.
As we start Term Three, our goal becomes Embracing Culture.
The term started in a whole College Assembly, with student leaders and Ms Chaves reflecting on the year to date, and looking forward to what lies ahead. Students and staff reflected on their Semester One learning achievements and sought to identify ways that we can each improve and do even better in Terms Three and Four.
Our students and parents engaged with the Cyber Safety Project, learning about how to navigate digital spaces safely and where to seek help when needed. The Student Leaders Conference this week, has prepared our school, year level and committee leaders to set goals and targets for the semester ahead. And this evening, the college hosts the VCE Expo and Course Information Seminars (for Year 10 - 12, 2023), where students and families learn about the pathways and options for their future. If to be hopeful means to be optimistic for a better future and to plan for how to achieve it, then all of these activities feed our hope.
There are reports of these later in the newsletter.
In August, the college is proudly presenting our school production High School Musical. Students and staff have been working incredibly hard on rehearsing and preparing for the show. We are all looking forward with great excitement to the performances. Tickets will sell out fast, so please ensure that you book yours to not miss out.
Over the second half of this year, our preparations continue for the commencement of our first Year 12 cohort. This is a great milestone for our school and an exciting achievement. We are focused on ensuring that our inaugural Year 12 year will be successful for our students and school, and this is the focus of significant planning.
Over the next month, our Principal, Debby Chaves, will be on leave, visiting family who she has not seen for over 3 years. We wish her a safe and happy trip and look forward to welcoming her back in mid-August. In the meantime, I will be acting as Principal, with the support of Peter Bartlett and Deb Kirk, my fellow Assistant Principals.
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce our new team members:
- Nicole Lee – Communicate and Relate Teacher
- Ruby Aust – Healthy Lifestyles Teacher
- Kar Mun Leong – BEST Teacher
- Konrad Kondratowicz – Create Visual Teacher
- Natalie Duckett – Create Visual Teacher
- Elin Kim – Counsellor
- Carlee Brown – First Aid/Attendance
- Gil Brown – Daily Organiser
- Martin Walker – Grounds Maintenance
Nicole Lee
Ruby Aust
Kar Mun Leong
Konrad Kondratowicz
Natalie Duckett
Elin Kim
Carlee Brown
Gil Brown
Martin Walker
Nicole Lee
Ruby Aust
Kar Mun Leong
Konrad Kondratowicz
Natalie Duckett
Elin Kim
Carlee Brown
Gil Brown
Martin Walker
We wish all students and families a successful and happy term ahead.
Ours is a great school. And the best is still to come.
Stephen Bourbon
Acting Principal
